Jockey Trevor Patel, who had to play second fiddle to his arch rival A Sandesh who walked away with the season's championship crown, rode with vengeance on the final day of the Mumbai racing season, winning six races from eight mounts on the nine-race Sunday card.Trevor's winners were Sans Peur, Ame, Rosella, Sky Mine, Courtship and Baryshnikov; two of them--Sans Peur & Courtship, were trained by Pesi Shroff.
By riding six winners on a single day's card, Trevor emulated the feat of former legendary rider like Aslam Kader who had ridden all his six mounts on a day's card to victory on the same Mahalaxmi racetrack way back in 1993.
In fact, old-timers who watched Trevor in action on Sunday compared his incredible performance to Kader's riding at the peak of his career in the early 1990s. "His rivalry with Sandesh reminded me of Aslam Kader's rivalry with Pesi Shroff," said Dinesh Churi who has been racing for over 40 years. But Suresh Patel, Trevor's father, told mid-day both Trevor and Sandesh are close buddies off the racetrack. "It's another matter they fight tooth and nail in a race," he said, "but in reality they are very good friends."
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*Pics/Bipin Kokate*
(Above) Hindustani Classical music icon Begum Parveen Sultana had something to chuckle about with santoor exponent Pandit Satish Vyas before her performance at Nehru Centre last weekend; (below) the legend tunes her sitar on stage.**
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*A salaam for these songs*
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*A band from Cathedral and John Connon at a Lower Parel club. Pic/Atul Kamble*
Over the weekend, students of Cathedral and John Connon School let their music do all the talking. The school's musical group WE performed at a Lower Parel club to raise funds for underprivileged children from Salaam Bombay Foundation. The event, in its fourth consecutive year, witnessed gigs ranging from Pop and Jazz to Contemporary. The funds raised at the musical gala will be directed to aid children with lesser opportunities to receive advanced training in their chosen vocation of art, music and theatre. We like.
*A porky affair*
**Mumbai's foodies, especially those who have a soft spot for pork, would have tasted the culinary magic of chef Gresham Fernandes' (in pic) creations. For long, Fernandes has been hosting community dinners called Swine Dine, where he makes over a dozen dishes using every part of a pig. The first week of May will see the event return to the city, where it will be held at a Bandra café. While the dates haven't been fixed, we'll keep you posted on how it turned out; after all, this is one dinner where seats get filled up quickly. On your marks, get set, oink!
*Mumbai kicks off its sundowner*
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*A frame from an earlier sport-themed event at the same venue*
In a city where the need to stand out in a crowd extends to party themes all the time, this one might catch the attention of the party-hopping junta. Recently, this diarist learnt that Copa, a popular nightclub in the 'burbs, has decided to embrace being healthy by tying up with a few big gyms and fitness platforms. They have planned a sundown fitness party unlike any this city has ever seen, they claim. This, we were told, will include fitness routines and dances such as Zumba, Bokwa and Masala Bhangra. Bollywood and TV celebrities are expected to attend this one-day event. We are supportive, but a tad confused. Although fitness enthusiasts may rejoice, what guilt prompted our nightclubs to take such a one-off measure? The verdict is still out on the coolness quotient of this one. Watch this space.
*April joy for the RBI*
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*Also read: Two students killed as cop's rifle misfires*
*The incident occurred when Amol Patil returned home after a party. Cops say he was possibly intoxicated.*
Amol Pandarinath Patil (38), is a businessman and a resident of Pandari Bhavan bungalow, Sarkar Residence in Dombivli (East). The licensed revolver he had in his possession has an issuing date of 2010 and will expire in 2017. He was issued the revolver for his personal safety according to the Thane Commissionerate.
Sources from Tilak Nagar claimed that Patil had a party with his friends on Thursday night and was under the influence of alcohol. "Patil returned home at around 2 am on Friday. He had kept the revolver near his stomach. It was loaded and it seems he was not aware about it. Incidentally, while he was climbing the stairs, a round was fired from the gun, which injured his stomach. His family then took him to a private hospital," said a police officer.
*Yet to arrest him*
Shivaji Dhumal, senior inspector, Tilak Nagar police station, said, "We have registered a case of negligence against him and found that he was using a licensed revolver, which misfired. He has suffered injuries in his stomach. He is presently admitted in a private hospital and undergoing treatment. We are yet to arrest him. We are investigating whether he was drunk."
*Also read: Passenger's gun misfires at domestic airport*
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The broader indices saw the BSE100, BSE200 and BSE500 gain 0.83 per cent, 0.80 per cent and 0.83 per cent respectively. BSEMIDCAP gained 0.94 per cent while BSESMALLCAP was up 1.24 per cent.In sectors, the top gainer was BSEMETAL up 4.76 per cent followed by BSEPSU 2.70 per cent, BSEBANKEX 2.66 per cent and BSEREALTY 2.08 per cent.
*Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, at IMF 2016 Spring Summit in Washington DC last week. The governor has promised more rate cuts if the monsoon is on track this year. Pic/PTI*
The losers were led by BSEFMCG down 0.68 per cent followed by BSEAUTO 0.26 per cent. In individual stocks, the top gainer was Vedanta up 11.72 per cent followed by Axis Bank 7.69 per cent and Tata Steel 6.37 per cent. The losers were led by Hero Motocorp, down 4.79 per cent, Wipro 4.60 per cent and TCS 4.20 per cent.
Dow Jones gained 106.29 points or 0.59 per cent to close at 18,003.75 points. The Indian rupee gained 0.23 per cent to the US Dollar.
*Listings galore*
Shares of Equitas listed and as expected, made huge gains. Shares, which were issued at R 110, closed at R 137.65, a gain of 25.13 per cent. The buoyancy in the primary market continues with the secondary offering from Thyrocare Technologies Limited, which is having a secondary sale of 1.07 crore shares in a price band of R 420-446. The size of the offering is between R 451 and R 479 crore. The issue opens on Wednesday, April 27, and closes on Friday, April 29. There is another issue from Ujjivan Financial services, which is also into microfinance. The issue opens on Thursday, April 28 and closes on May 2.
Parliament begins its second leg of the budget session from Tuesday, April 25. The session is expected to be stormy with many issues like Uttarakhand, affidavits by the former home minister in the Ishrat Jahan case and also the issue of GST in Rajya Sabha. While the two issues will see the opposition and the ruling party at loggerheads, it appears the GST issue will be a quieter affair this time, and may see the light of day before the session ends.
Result season is on and Reliance Industries announced a good set of numbers. Whether the market would accept them as an indicator of future or not, is another question. India Inc. is still struggling and the turnaround is yet to happen.
*Rate cut*
RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan has assured of more rate cuts, only if the monsoon is on track. News from Parliament could be another driver and global cues, if any. Currently there is nothing on the global front, which is expected to drive markets.
On the negative side, China continues to be a mystery and one is not sure what news could hit the markets at what time. One needs to be cautious and careful about China as it struggles to cope with the significant slowdown that is it is currently witnessing.
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*Also read: Kanhaiya Kumar claims BJP supporter tried to strangle him on flight**Manas Jyoti Deka said he had nothing to do with the BJP. Pic/Suresh KK *
However, the alleged assaulter — Manas Jyoti Deka — denied all of this and said he had no connections with the BJP and was merely a software engineer on his way to Pune for a work assignment.
"Am I mad to strangle a person onboard a flight in front of everybody?" he exclaimed.*Kanhaiya's tweets about the incident yesterday*
The altercation between the two took place on the Jet Airways flight to Pune, where Kanhaiya was headed to address another student gathering at Balgandharva Rangmandir last evening. They had all boarded the flight when an argument broke out between them, and Manas allegedly assaulted Kanhaiya.
*Also read: Under Modi, India has become 'lab of communalism': Kanhaiya Kumar*
According to a senior police official from Vile Parle police station, where cross-complaints were filed, there was an argument between Manas and Kanhaiya. "The person accused of assaulting Kanhaiya was travelling on the same flight from Kolkata to Pune. The flight had a stopover in Mumbai where Kanhaiya boarded it. Deka, who had a window seat, was trying to get into the aisle and that is when he happened to touch Kanhaiya. This sparked the argument," said the official, adding that statements from both parties had been recorded.
The student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) immediately tweeted about it, saying: Yet again, this time inside the aircraft, a man tries to strangulate me."
Jet Airways decided to ask everybody involved in the argument to deplane. They were all taken to the CISF control room at the international airport and the matter was then handed over to the Vile Parle police. Kanhaiya was forced to travel to Pune by road.
A non-cognisable offence (NC) was filed against Manas on the charge of assault, but he kept repeating to the media outside that there had been no assault. The 33-year-old later lodged a cross-complaint against a group of eight people, alleging that they misbehaved with him and threatened him inside the plane, said a senior IPS officer, adding that Manas did not mention Kanhaiya's name in his NC.
"There was no assault. All this is being dragged out for publicity. I have an injury in my right leg. While coming out from my seat to the aisle, I happened to touch Kanhaiya for support. At that very moment we smiled at each other. Suddenly, a person from his group wearing a white shirt started shouting that I am assaulting him. Then even Kanhaiya joined his friend's cries. They started demanding that I should get off the airplane. I just insisted that if I am made to get off the airplane, all of them should do the same," said Manas, who works at TCS as a software developer.
"I was on that flight because our company was sending my team to Pune from Kolkata. Why would I indulge in any such act when I am travelling on a flight paid for by my company? There were many others from my company on the flight for same purpose," he added.
*Video: From Mumbai, Kanhaiya Kumar hopes to flag off student resistance*
When asked about connections to the BJP, Manas reiterated, "I am a software developer. None of my family members have any connection with BJP."
But national president of the All India Students Federation (AISF), Vali Ullah Khadri insisted, "He is lying. We had noticed that he was looking for Kanhaiya and was simultaneously talking on the phone about finding him. There is no doubt that he tried to kill Kanhaiya."AirlinespeakFollowing the incident, Jet Airways had issued a statement which reads, 'Some guests on board Jet Airways flight 9W618 Mumbai to Pune have been offloaded at Mumbai airport in the interest of operational safety. At Jet Airways, the safety and security of our guests and crew is always of prime importance.'
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/25Unrecognised-Schools-Asso.jpg*The schools have formed an organisation called ‘Unrecognised Schools Association’ to persuade the government to reconsider its decision.*
A Government Resolution (GR) in 2013 decreed that all schools in urban areas must be sized at 1 acre, while schools in rural areas possess 2 acres. After a review, the schools were given notice in 2015, by way of newspaper adverts. They were sent the final notice on April 4, and were given a week to shut down or face action, which can range from a lumpsum fine of R1 lakh, to R10,000 per day of violation or even criminal action for running an educational institution without approval.
However, the school managements argued that they are small-sized operations — with about 100 students each — providing quality education at an affordable rate to mostly underprivileged children. Most of them are English medium schools, so if the schools are not allowed to reopen, the kids will be forced to move to civic schools and lose out on English medium education. Furthermore, they also complain that several teachers working at these schools will be out of jobs because of this decision.
The schools have now come together, with support from teachers and parents, and formed an organisation called ‘Unrecognised Schools Association’ to persuade the government to reconsider its decision. They have also written to the state education minister, Vinod Tawde with their arguments.
Leena Girap, a teacher at the Star English High School in Diva, said, "It is very difficult to acquire 1 acre of land in this city. Moreover, these are not profit-making institutions. All are very small schools catering to a niche section of the society in the slum areas or children coming from the lower strata of society. We are providing English medium schooling at an affordable rate. Considering the work that we are doing, we should be exempted from the land requirement parameter."
The schools are currently hanging in uncertainty — although they have shut down, this has coincided with the summer break, so students have not lost any time in class. However, if the situation continues till June, the students will have to scramble to find a functioning school for the upcoming academic year.
Principal of Ren Xavier school, Geeta Gautam said, "My school was formed in 2010, following my father’s dream to provide good education to underprivileged children. I have been working on acquiring approval from the government since then. But each time, it has delayed for some or the other reason. Since 2013, the new land requirement has brought more obstacles. When we ask the authorities to take the children into consideration, we are told to shift them to nearby schools. Why should we? If our teaching quality is bad, the government has all the right to take action, but land is not such an important factor for the children are studying in our school."
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/water-train-s.jpg*A policeman stand guards a Central Railway train loading water to transport to drought affected Latur District from Miraj station near Sangli on Sunday. Pic/PTI*
*Also read: Mumbai's lifeline Western, Central Railways respond to water crisis*
The plants will be equipped with an effluent treatment system and water softening plant for recycling water used for cleaning trains and platforms. There are 23 railway depots out of which we will set up modern washing plants with added facilities for treatment of water for reuse at 10 at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore, said a senior Railway Ministry official involved in execution of green initiatives of the national transporter.
According to the official, the National Green Tribunal has taken note of excessive extraction of ground water by railways for cleaning coaches and platforms. About 12,000 litres to 14,000 litres of water is being used for cleaning one rake consisting of 22-24 coaches.
Automatic washing plant is eco-friendly and uses minimum quantity of water, soap and disinfectants. Further, water used for washing can be treated at the ETP plant and recycled.
*Also read: One more 'water' train reaches Latur*
The automatic plant will require only 6,000 litres to clean a rake out of which 4,000 litres will be recycled water. The cumulative saving of fresh water will be 450 million litres per annum for 10 depots, the official said.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/25bmc-open-spaces-s.jpg*Civic officials said the new DCR clause has been introduced to enable the BMC to get the remaining 70 per cent for free. **File Pic/Bipin Kokate*
The contentious clause states that in case of a plot reserved for recreational grounds and playgrounds (RG/PG), the builder can keep 30% for construction and give BMC the remaining 70%. The builder will be allowed to build on his area with the FSI of the full plot — leading to vertical development — while the BMC will get a free open space in return.*The city stands to lose nearly a third of proposed open spaces, thanks to the new rule in the draft DCR 2034. File pic for Representation*
In the past, the BMC would often find it tough to acquire land for a recreation ground or playground. Since it is mandatory to reserve a certain amount of area under the open spaces policy, the plot owners would take advantage of this and often demand more money.
"It was observed in the previous Development Plans that when a private plot would be reserved for a recreation ground or a playground, the owner would ask the BMC for a higher price and go to court. The litigation would go on for years. And with the new land acquisition laws in place, owners have to be compensated several times. In order to find a solution to this lengthy process, we have come up with this provision," informed a highly placed civic official.
It’s not hard to see the advantage for the BMC in this arrangement, but open space activists are fuming, since this will chop down on 30% of all new open spaces, even though the BMC had promised to go green this time. The civic body has already gone back on its promise of no construction inside RG/PG by allowing 15% construction on private open spaces. It had also faced flak in the last DCR for reserving less open space per capita.
The DCR are the guidelines that regulate construction in the city. A lot rides on these rules since they decide the direction of the real estate market in the upcoming years. The BMC is coming out with its draft of the DCR 2034 in parts, with nine chapters and a road survey already released. The objective is to allow people time to submit their suggestions and objections to each of them.
Three more chapters on FSI, open space and parking are yet to be released.
*Activists upset*
Pankaj Joshi, executive director of the Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI), criticised this provision. "If the BMC could not implement the previous DCRs, that is not the citizens’ fault. Why should we compromise on open space? If they are so concerned about the implementation of the DCR, they should reserve more amenity plots. As it is, the open space per capita is low in Mumbai. Why only 70%? Citizens should get access to the entire plot and other accommodation reservations can be kept separate."
Civic activist Shyama Kulkarni said, "If they allow a builder to construct on 30% of the plot, what if he constructs a gymkhana on it? Then even the remaining open space will be used exclusively by members of that gymkhana. The whole point of it will be lost."*The clause*
Section 17 of chapter 3 (land uses and manner of development) of the DCR: An RG, PG can either be developed by a ‘corporation or appropriate authority’ or ‘the owner will be allowed to develop the reservation on accommodation reservation basis’. In the case of the latter, maximum percentage of reserved plot to be set aside for amenity (garden) developed under accommodation reservation is 70 per cent.
*How it will work*
Say a 1,000-sq-m plot gets reserved as an open space, under the new clause, the plot owner can keep 300 sq m and construct vertically on it, using the FSI of all 1,000 sq m. Meanwhile, the BMC gets 700 sq m as an open space without having to pay any charge. According to the official, this provision is profitable for owners and developers, since they get to retain a part of the plot and consume full FSI. Besides, the BMC gets an open space for free and without litigation. "In case the plot is small, the owner can consume the FSI by merging neighbouring plots. If there is a height restriction in the area, he can use the remaining development rights elsewhere in the city," informed an official from the DP department.
*Developerspeak*
Shirish Sukhatme, ex-president of PEATA (Practising Engineering Architect Town Planners Association) said, "It might be a good provision for the city’s open spaces, but then the BMC should not charge open space premium to builders. Because that, coupled with fungible FSI, parking charges, etc, will increase the cost of flats, thereby burdening the buyers."
Sukhatme added that the BMC should also not make other open spaces within the building premises compulsory.
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*Related stories...*
*Open and shut spaces: Gates open at this South Mumbai garden after 15 years*
*Mumbai: BMC takes back 34 open plots from private players*
*Mumbai: BMC may call the cops to take back open spaces*
*Mumbai's open space warriors win! CM asks BMC to take back open plots*
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/25Ranveer-Singh-s.jpg*Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor*
While Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh were front-runners for Lakhan's role, Ranbir Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Sidharth Malhotra were being considered for Ram's part. Now a well-placed source in the production team of the film informs us that the makers have locked Shahid and Ranveer to essay the roles of Ram and Lakhan respectively.
Says a source, "Out of all the names being tossed for Lakhan's part, Ranveer was the first choice. Also, last year Anil Kapoor, who played Lakhan, had said that Ranveer was perfect for the role. As for Ram's character, it was decided that Shahid would be an ideal pick. The actors, however, have not signed on the dotted line."
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Illustration/Uday Mohite
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http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/TMC-bouncers-s.jpg*Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal flanked by private security guards during an inspection of the road-widening project*
It has hired five private security guards for Rs 2.92 lakh a month to protect Jaiswal and additional municipal commissioners Sunil Chavan and Ashok Kumar Rankam while overseeing civic initiatives like the ambitious road widening project, which entails several demolitions and protests.
Jaiswal will now have a possé of three private guards and five police personnel for security. Earlier, he had only a police constable as his security detail. Chavan and Rankam get one security guard each.
“Along with the bouncers, the commissioner has a gun squad of five personnel from the Thane police,” said a senior TMC official.
The new arrangement came into effect in the first week of April after the commissioner himself raised concerns over the poor security provided to top civic officials.
In February, an RTI activist attacked Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner and TMC's public relations officer. On January 18, 2015, a Hindu Sena activist blackened Jaiswal’s nameplate at the TMC headquarters even as more than 50 police personnel and TMC security guards milled around. Last December, a man accosted Jaiswal on a service road in Ghodbunder and rained abuses on him. “In light of such incidents, we decided to provide him with private security guards,” said another TMC official.
Confirming his security detail, Jaiswal said the plan was spurred by the attacks on civic officials.
At a recent general body meeting of the TMC, Sena corporator Ashok Vaity had recommended security guards for other officers as well.*Big-ticket project*
The TMC’s biggest initiative is its road widening project, which was undertaken over six months ago. The commissioner himself is overseeing most of the work. “We will complete the project before the monsoon. Over 200 people displaced by the project have been rehabilitated,” said TMC chief Sanjeev Jaiswal, who assumed office in January last year.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/Mehboobi-Shahzad-s.jpg*Mehboobi Shahzad (75) was summoned to the police station on several occasions, even after paying her bills. Pic/Shadab Khan*
According to 75-year-old Mehboobi Shahzad’s grandson, Mubarak Khan (32), the family had procured an illegal meter in his grandmother’s name, but hadn’t paid the electricity dues. On January 28, the Tardeo police had called him and his grandmother to the station, and asked them to clear the fine amounting to R48,000. “After selling all our jewellery and borrowing some money, we managed to pay the fine on February 3,” said Khan.
Khan said he also went to the police station and submitted a copy of the paid bill. The investigating officer told him to bring his grandmother to the police station, when ordered. Khan said police called for Shahzad, who suffers from diabetes and several heart-related complications, twice after that. She was once again asked to present herself on April 21, and was made to wait at the police station for over four hours, before being taken to Nair Hospital to get medical tests. “The cops told me not to tell the doctor that I suffer from diabetes. From here, they took me to court,” Shahzad alleged.
At the court hearing, Shahzad’s lawyer Mujeeb Khan Pathan told the judge that despite the accused having paid the bill a long time ago, she was shown as an absconding accused when arrested. Sessions judge SM Bhosale then pulled up the police for not following the rules laid out by the high court and handling the case irresponsibly. The judge also threatened to issue a contempt notice against the police.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/Waiter-s.jpg*A waiter at Matunga’s Mysore Cafe carries a tray of ‘cutting’ water glasses. Pic/Sameer Markande*
The poster goes up this weekend, say the proprietors, in an effort to grapple with the severe water scarcity that the establishment, like the rest of the city, is confronted with.*A waiter empties water, left over by a patron, into a bucket that will then be used to water plants on Chembur restaurant Le Cafe’s premises. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi*
It’s an idea that’s going to find support from The Hotel & Restaurant Association (Western India). The apex body for over 10,000 restaurants across Maharashtra issued a circular on April 15, urging all eateries to serve half a glass of water to patrons, and replenish it only on request.*Proprietors of Churchgate restaurant Vihar have re-regulated the pressure of water in taps fitted in the kitchen and washing area. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar*
Bharat Malkani, its president, called it the call of the hour, given that the state is facing one of its worse droughts owing to three consecutive failed monsoons.*The poster at Mysore Cafe*
“We have intimated our members, especially those in Mumbai and Maharashtra, that waiters must be instructed to save water. The effort starts from the time the guest is seated and water is served,” says Malkani. Waiters, he hopes, will refill glasses only when asked, and drop in a polite message about the state’s grave drought situation.
Hospitality hotbed Bandra is seeing eateries come up with innovative measures of their own. Ashish Sajnani owns Eat Thai, a recent opening that offers a modern spin to Thai food. Staff at the Pali Hill eatery is collecting leftover water from glasses to pour into a tank to utilise later. “Until recently, we’d drain left over water from glasses. But, given the shortage, we are using it now to water our plants,” he shares. His other establishment in Chembur, Le Café, has ditched hosepipes for sponges as their delivery bikes get a bucket wash. “It’s now one bucket to one bike.”
Churchgate’s favourite thali joint Samrat decided to call the plumber for help. The pressure of water in taps fitted in the kitchen was re-regulated last month. “Until some time ago, there was little awareness
about water conservation among the staff. They’d keep the tap running when washing dishes. But the severity of Marathwada’s drought prompted the owners to take the step,” says Satish Shanbaug, manager. A stone’s throw away, Vihar, says its manager Purshottam Nayak, has done the same.
To match its fancy SoBo address, Chowpatty’s seafacing vegetarian restaurant Revival has invested in an e-smart dishwasher that is programmed to use minimal water for cleaning. Brijesh J, supervisor, says it’s an import from Dubai, and capable of washing 40 plates in just three litres of water. “We’ve managed to reduce water wastage by more than half,” he claims.
While the association has in its circular also suggested that a jug of water with empty glasses be placed on every table for patrons to pour out a drink if they choose, proprietors say it doesn’t gel with the service standard expected of certain eateries. “A restaurant like Samrat cannot expect patrons to serve themselves. It is not hospitable; it might offend some,” adds Shanbaug. His views resonate with several others.
Cars honk furiously at the Sukh Sagar junction of Chowpatty and Opera House, which turns into a veritable fast-food-on-car-bonnets hub each night. Summers mean the juice centre machines are whirring at top speed to keep up with orders. Waiters zip through balancing plates of idli and pav bhaji, its most popular eats. Sukh Sagar has decided to tackle the crisis by being size wise. They have changed the size of glasses they serve water in. Kitchen supervisor, Narayan Shetty, says they have been keeping the fast food joint going with a 30 per cent water cut. “We cannot deny a patron water to drink, so instead of saying no, we have stocked smaller glasses, automatically reducing consumption. Back in the kitchen, tubs of hot water are used to wash dishes instead of under a running tap.”
Just around the bend, Soam at Babulanth, every Gujarati’s out-of- home panaki fix, is offering water to customers only on request. “It’s not something we like to do, our patrons are a priority, but the shortage is grave,” admits Khushroo Randeria, manager.
And customers don’t seem to mind taking instructions.
At Mysore Cafe, among the many posters that line its walls — including those listing the ‘day’s special’ and instructions about the ‘dubra coffee’, the one surrounding tissues-not-finger-bowls has a few suggestions. ‘Do not put napkins in your plate’; ‘Do not spit in the napkin’; ‘Do not use the napkin for cleaning your nose’.
Yes, saar!
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*Also read: Kolhapur youth booked for creating Goa girl's fake FB account**Vijay Bhatt*
Following investigations, it was revealed that the accused, Vijay Bhatt, was addicted to playing games on the social networking site and had created the fake profile, so that he could continue playing more games from other accounts.
What landed him into further trouble was that he used his fake identity to send friend requests to the victim's female friends.
Bhatt, a resident of Morbi in Gujarat, was arrested on Thursday and has been booked for impersonation, confirmed M Rajkumar, deputy commissioner of police (cyber). According to police, the complainant (name withheld) is a Ghatkopar-based share-broker. In his complaint to the police in March last year, he had stated that his 16-year-old son, a college student, was shocked after a few of his female friends had asked him why he had been responding weirdly, while chatting with them on Facebook.
The teenager told his friends that he had never chatted with them and realised that someone had impersonated him on the social networking site. He informed his father about this and he then lodged a complaint with the cyber police station at Bandra Kurla Complex.
*Also read: 22-year-old Mumbai youth held for creating girl's fake Facebook account*
Inspector Kalpana Gadekar then wrote to the service provider for the Internet protocol (IP) address details of the system used in the crime. The IP details were only recently traced to Bhatt.
A police team headed by assistant inspector Sandeep Bhand then went to Gujarat and on Thursday brought the suspect to Mumbai and placed him under arrest.
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/Swapnil-Kulkarni-s.jpg*Swapnil Kulkarni and Pratik Shelar*
The first month of the year, last year, 27-year-old Pratik Shelar knew it was his last chance. Having fought with his father to mortgage their Pune home for funds to start a business in the UK, "I had to prove my decision was sane," says Shelar who launched Indian Movie Friend in London this January.
"When I was pursuing an MBA at Coventry university, I realised that there was no way to find what Indian movie was playing at which theatre. There are three million South Asian people in the UK and the market was untapped," says Shelar, who launched IMF with his college friend Swapnil Kulkarni.
"We provide information on films, movie tickets, news content about the buzz in the industry. For now, we are working on Telugu, Malayam, Tamil, Hindi and Bollywood films. We have 10,000 active members," says Shelar, who hails from the Tuljapur area in Osmanabad district (Marathwada, Maharashtra). He presently lives in Newham, east London.
Shelar's story is an inspirational one. "I did my schooling in Marathi medium after which my father decided to move to Pune for a better future. He enrolled me in an engineering college. He wanted me to become a IAS officer," says Shelar, whose interests lay in films. When he got a role in a Bollywood film, Humne Jeena Seekh Liya, he failed his first semester.
During the same time, he bagged a few film roles and did a few plays too. He changed his field and joined FTII, but upon his father's insistence moved back to engineering.
The Marathi boy noticed one more thing - the only way to catch a Marathi film was at events held by the community at event halls. "There are 6,000-odd Marathi families in the UK. Communities would invite filmmakers to screen their films at the local halls. In July last year, he set up a proper distribution system and for the first time, Nagrik, a Marathi flick was screened at a cinema hall. "We sold tickets for 10 pounds. Around 600 people turned up for it," says Shelar, who went on to screen Anurag in November. The turn came with Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, which saw an audience of 1,300.
"For every screening, we invited the star cast and director to interact with the audience. "Sachin Pilgaonkar and Mahesh Majrekar have attended our events," says Shelar.
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Spicy vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, made by eight adivasi women, and served right in the rustic setting of Jivacha pada in Aarey Milk Colony. Tempting, right? Started in January by We Will Help (WWH), a charitable foundation, the fourth "authentic sit-down tribal lunch experience" is highly-recommended for us city-dwellers. "We began along with the Save Aarey movement, to tell people that we don’t have to travel far from the city to experience a rural setting," says Cassandra Nazareth, project manager.*Home-cooks from three padas in Aarey Milk Colony make bakris*
In January this year, Nazareth and women from three adivasi villages — Khambacha pada, Jivacha pada and Moracha pada — turned to cooking as a means for financial empowerment.*The lunch area, in the verdant settings of Aarey*
The fourth time around, here’s what you can expect. Live coal cooking. Maybe even try your hand at making a few rice and ragi bakris. Vegetarians, savour bhaji made from seasonal, locally grown produce. Non-vegetarians, treat your tastebuds to dry prawn gravy and chicken curry. Staples such as dal, garlic chutney and mirchi ka thecha (a spicy green chili relish) are also on the menu. "We want to popularise Aarey as an outdoor experience and also help the women gain rightful employment," says Nazareth, adding that diners can also check out a pop-up stall with handmade goods. Fancy a quilt or a veggie bag?
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Love him or hate him, it’s hard to ignore Raja Ravi Varma, whose works pervade a national consciousness. His rendition of Indian women — whether inspired by mythology or borrowed from reality, a milkmaid or the goddess Saraswati — leaves viewers perplexed. The protagonists of his paintings are emblems of femininity, and that, precisely, is the problem. “Raja Ravi Varma’s works embody the dominant cultural way of looking at women as passive or inferior to men; they don’t do anything to critique the status quo,” says Sharmistha Ray, artist and founder of Bellevue Salons, a platform for conversations.
On Friday, in a new edition of Bellevue Salons, Ray will be in discussion with author and mid-day columnist Rosalyn D’Mello at the Piramal Museum of Art to talk about an often-heard and often-misunderstood concept — the male gaze — in visual, literary and performative arts. What could be a more fitting backdrop than the acclaimed artist’s works, on exhibit as part of the museum’s ongoing show Pages of a Mind — Raja Ravi Varma — Life and Expressions? If you think it’s cheeky to critique Varma while in the midst of his paintings, Ray feels differently. “The women in Varma’s paintings had their own feminine wiles albeit, capable of both seduction and arousing our sympathies. Of course, I’m simplifying the matter, but overall, the artistic strategies for depiction of either gender are quite canonised in Varma’s works. These stereotypes were enforced by the social milieu and vice-versa, given Varma’s popularity at the time.”
If you think Ray paints Varma as a product of his times and is playing it safe, then that is not the case. This conversation is going to be about a lot of confrontation, says Ray. “You can really draw a straight line from Varma to popular stereotypes today of women in cinema,” she says. We suggest that audiences throw in that question about Rang Rasiya, the 2008 film on Varma, which furrowed the Censor Board’s brow for its nude scenes.*Rosalyn D'Mello*
For those of us who’d like to delve into the male gaze and India’s literary tradition, take cues from D’Mello. “India has many literary histories. If you look at the saint poets, like Meerabai and Akka Mahadevi, they resisted the conventional male gaze by having a divinity as their muse. They subverted the traditional gamut of what constitutes womanly behaviour,” she writes over e-mail.
D’Mello subverts the male gaze in her recent book, A Handbook for my Lover. “Written to a 30 years older lover who is a photographer, the book consciously sets itself up to play with the gaze, turning the spotlight on someone who is otherwise known to document the world. Here, he becomes the muse being gazed at. However, he is not objectified,” she says. Will Varma fans say the same about the artist’s women figures?
Round off this conversation with Sangeet Bari’s playful and subversive lavani performance.
*Where:* Piramal Museum of Art, Piramal Tower, Peninsula Corporate Park, Lower Parel (W)
*When:* April 29, 7 PM - 9 PM*
***Pic/Bret Hartman***
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If there’s one thing that 62-year-old Vijay Surwade wishes could have played out differently in his life, it’s the time of his birth. "Born in June 1953, I was only three years old on December 5, 1956, when BR Ambedkar passed away," he says. "Had I been born 10 or 15 years earlier, I could have met him."*Last year Vijay Surwade self-published a pictorial biography of Ambedkar. Five thousand copies of these were acquired by the Babasaheb Ambedkar Research Training Institute. PIC/Datta Kumbhar*
Surwade, who retired two years ago from IDBI Bank as a deputy general manager, has spent most of the last 50 years trying get to know the man better. "I feel drawn to his personality, and there’s also a great sense of gratitude for what he has done for the community," he adds, while talking of Ambedkar, who launched political outfits — All India Scheduled Caste Federation and the Indian Labour Party — to allow representation to the country’s suppressed communities. Since the 1970s, the obsession has led him to collect photographs of and letters by Ambedkar.*Ambedkar with wife Savita in 1948*
"Some time in school is when I began cutting out pictures of Ambedkar from newspapers or wedding cards that often carried his photographs. At the time, I didn’t recognize what a real photograph was," says Surwade. Born in Bhusaval of Jalgaon district, Suwade completed his SSC from Thane and later studied law at Fort’s Siddharth College.
*Dr Ambedkar smiling in a 1952 photograph (above), on his way to Columbia University to pick up an honorary degree. A photograph from June 1925 of him while at a guest house in Nipani, Karnataka, where he had gone for a conference on depressed classes*
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While doing his graduation he came across a real photograph. "That’s when I realised what a proper picture is," says Surwade, whose archive collections were on exhibit at Jehangir Art Gallery earlier this month. The discovery spurred him to start collecting ‘proper’ pictures of the leader.
*Dr Ambedkar, chairman of the Drafting Committtee, presenting the final draft of the Constitution to Dr Rajendra Prasad, then the chairman of the Constituent Assembly *
This he achieved by finding people who had met and were close to Ambedkar during his lifetime. Among them was his second wife, Savita, commonly referred to as Mai. "In 1971, Mai moved to Mumbai from Delhi and would often visit Mr DD Bawiskar, a follower of Ambedkar. Interestingly, she had no photographs of him.
But, she had several personal letters which he’d written to her post midnight when he got free from his day’s work," says Surwade. During their many conversations, Mai told Surwade that once sometime in the early 1950s, when Ambedkar was in Mumbai, his colleagues caught him in a good mood, which was ‘rare’. So, they took him to Hamilton Studio at Ballard Estate and got a photograph clicked. It was a rare picture of him smiling, Surwade laughs.*Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with his cabinet, including **Dr Ambedkar, the then law minister, sitting down for a meal*
Surwade heard the story in the late 1970s, and a few years later, he went back to the studio and asked its owner Ranjit Madhavji to help him locate the picture. "He avoided me for the longest time. Utlimately, perhaps fed up, he opened his record room and allowed me to search for the pictures myself."
In an exercise that took him nearly four days, he went through marked envelopes of old negatives and finally received his reward when he found negatives of six photographs, preserved well. "Ambedkar was laughing in one of them," he adds.
There are other instances too. Ambedkar had been invited by Jawaharlal Nehru’s personal assistant Pusham Patke to watch a play called Man Apman. "It was a comedy. While watching it, Ambedkar started laughing. Patke sent me that photograph too," Surwade adds.
Surwade’s search for Ambedkar has led him to studios across the country. "Everywhere I went, I’d spend time visiting old studios. I even have pictures from America and London where he attended round-table conferences," he says.
Surwade, who on April 14 this year (Ambedkar’s birth anniversary) released a coffee table book of some of these photographs with text by Dr Narendra Jadhav, says he has lost count of the number of pictures he has collected. Perhaps a thousand, he estimates.
The Ambedkar obsession, he says, is unlikely to end. Surwade, who has also released other books of collected speeches and memoirs of the man who drafted India’s Constitution, says there can’t be anyone like him. "He was a great man and his followers have failed him," he adds.
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*Make a Gond painting*
11 AM – 2 PM; 4 PM – 7 PM: Ramesh Tekam, an accomplished Gond artist from Bhopal, is in town to give you a taste of the nuances of the art form practised widely in Central India. Learn how to draw various plants and animals the Gond way, with earthy colours and plenty of dots and lines.
*WHERE: *The Integral Space, Lower Parel; Art Lovers’ Gallery, Bandra
*ENTRY:* Rs 1,000
*CALL: *9820346338
*Treat your pets*
4 PM – 9 PM: At Dogs’ Day Out, here is a chance for your pet to go wild. The carnival is a great opportunity for both pets and pet parents to socialise and check out a variety of activities like pet caricatures, a grooming corner and pet cafes. Plus, plenty of tips on pet diseases and first aid for injured dogs can be picked up from sessions through the carnival. Get your doggy, and get going.
*WHERE: *Garden area, Inorbit Mall, Link Road, Malad (W)
*FREE*
*CALL: *66777999
*Watch a Bond play*
12 PM & 4 PM: All you Ruskin Bond fans out there, here is a new play by Akvarious that you just can’t miss. The final installment of A Special Bond has hit stages in the city, and this one is going to mix the famous author’s life with his works. How did the young lad with British origins become one of India’s most celebrated writers? What were his childhood adventures like? All this and more, in a play directed by Akarsh Khurana.
*WHERE: *Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Church Road, Juhu
*ENTRY: *Rs 300
*CALL: *26149546
*Swim, eat, drink, repeat*
12 PM – 5 PM: Hop on board the ferry to Alibaug to make the best of this summer day. Ccaza Ccomodore, a luxury boutique villa, holds a special brunch with unlimited cocktails and a scrumptious South African style barbeque. And, you get to indulge in all of this beside a tempting pool, so pack your swimwear right now. Ferry and speedboat transfers available on request.
*WHERE:* Ccaza Ccomodore, Mandwa, Alibaug
*ENTRY:* Rs 1,750
*CALL:* 9820132158
*Get social with artistes*
3 PM – 6 PM: Open Sky Mumbai is back with the city’s finest youth cultural gathering. Here is your chance to meet budding comedians, musicians, rappers, slam poets, bands… phew! That’s a lot of performances in one night, right? If you are an artiste yourself, sign up, and show them what you’ve got.
*WHERE:* antiSocial, Rohan Plaza, Khar (W)
*ENTRY:* Rs 150 (inclusive of refreshments)
*CALL: * 65226324
*Meet architects, talk design*
5 PM – 7 PM: At this architecture meetup, gear up for a hearty chat on changes in design, and whether the paradigm shift is headed in the right direction. Moderators Khushbu Davda and Seeja Sudhakaran, who have finished their Masters in parametric design and architecture from Barcelona, will lead the conversation. Architects and architecture enthusiasts, here’s a chance to meet kindred spirits.
*WHERE:* Maker’s Asylum, Marol Industrial Estate, Andheri (E)
*FREE*
*CALL:* 9004686828
*Party your way to fitness*
May 1 is a dry day, but the party will go on. Just not the way you had in mind. Get ready for a fitness party by Dawntrekker. Gates open at 6 pm, and participants can try aerobics by Temperance, Bokwa by Shweta Desai and Masala Bhangra by master trainer Shalini Bhargava, and EDM workout by Zins Vicky and Aakanksha. Also try bokwa, EDM workouts, body combat, power yoga.
*WHERE:* Copa, Juhu
*WHEN:* May 1, 6 PM onwards
*ENTRY:* Rs 500
visit: http://bit.ly/1Tl0USS
*Are you running right?*
Sign up for a running skills workshop to know where you’re going wrong
Ninety per cent of those who run, do so improperly,” says Ashok Nath, a Bengaluru-based runner and founder of Catalyst Sports. Nath, who is conducting a workshop in June (seats are filling up fast, so we suggest you register ASAP), says that when one starts attempting longer distances, inefficiency catches up, leading to injuries.
At his two-day workshop, which will start at 5.45 am, Nath will first start by videographing the participants’ running technique. Through the two days, he will discuss important skills, where most runners go wrong.
Among these are cadence and hill-training. Asked to explain both, he said, “The mistake made by most runners is to change their cadence (rhythm) to suit their running speed. My paradigm shift approach advises retaining cadence but adjusting stride length to suit the pace. Open strides to run faster (higher gear), reduce stride to run slower (lower gear). Changing cadence is like driving in spurts, with constant braking, adjusting which results in energy consumption.”
On conquering hills, Nath who is the fastest Indian at the Comrades Ultra-Marathon (89km) at South Africa, says, “Run the hills with technique. Power running is effective but high on wear and tear, and energy burn. So, if driving a car uphill you would downshift a gear or two, and when driving downhill you upshift to higher gear. Similarly, when running, adjust your strides accordingly.”
*WHERE:* The Club, 197, DN Nagar, Andheri West
*WHEN:* 5.45 am, June 4-5
*ENTRY:* Rs 10,000 (if you pay by April 30)
www.catalystsports.in
*Watch Johny perform live
*
APRIL 30: When it comes to comedy, nobody nails it like Johny Lever. The funny man, who is known for his comic timing and entertaining roles in Bollywood movies, is all set to tickle your funny bone with a mind-blowing, blockbuster, Hindi stand-up show. In Johny Lever Live!, the actor will incorporate references and observations from social media, politics and pop culture, among other things, into his routine. The result is going to be a laugh riot that will be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
*WHERE:* Aspee Auditorium, BJ Patel Road, Malad (W)
*WHEN:* 08.45 PM
*ENTRY:* Rs 300 – Rs 2,000
*CALL:* 28222331
*Sip summer’s freshest cocktails*
ONGOING: Are you ready for some summer surprise? Bartenders at O:h Cha Kitchen & Bar have delved into the rabbit hole of their imagination to create an entirely fresh cocktail menu for this season. Those craving something different, can indulge in classics like O:h Cha Blue Oreo (Gin, vanilla ice cream and oreo biscuits), Lemon Grass Basil Martini (lemon grass, basil leaf, vodka and sprite) and Strawberry Frozen Margarita (tequila with fresh crushed strawberries and crushed ice). Adding to the signatures are some fun drinks, which will tantalise your taste buds. There is the Kalakhatta shot (kalakhatta syrup and gin), Kitkat shot (Kit Kat chocolate, chocolate syrup and vodka base) and Spicydicy (pineapple juice, Tabasco, bacardi), among others. Feel free to choose your poison.
*WHERE: *O:h Cha Kitchen & Bar, Unit 1, Mathurdas Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*WHEN: *12.30 – 3 PM, 7.30 PM – 12AM
*call:* 66334455
*Get a glimpse of rural India*
ONGOING: The first solo exhibition The Mark on the Wall by artist Gauri Gill offers a glimpse into rural India with three bodies of work. The first is a new set of photo-paintings from the series Fields of Sight (2014-16), which began in early 2013 in Ganjad, Dahanu, in coastal Maharashtra. In the second, Places, Traces (2016), Gill shows unseen work from ‘Notes from the Desert’, her ongoing archive of images from rural Rajasthan. The third and last body of work, The Mark on the Wall (2016) documents drawings made by local artists, children and teachers in Western Rajasthan. The exhibition will run till June 30.
*WHERE:* Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, 2 Sunny House, Colaba
*WHEN: *11 AM to 7 PM, Tuesdays to Saturday
*CALL: *22023030
*Match a step with the world’s best*
April 25 – May 1: The Jugnee Indo-Contemporary Dance Festival is set to light up Mumbai’s sky once again. And this time, it promises to be bigger and better. The seven-day festival, which coincides with World Dance Day on April 29, will be held at different venues across the city, including Sophia Bhabha Hall and St Andrew’s Auditorium. The event will provide professional dancers an opportunity to
meet with international choreographers and master teachers, and participate in performances, panel discussions and film screenings.
*Register: *7045944890
http://www.jugnee.com
*Paint before you wear*
11 am: Laksheeta’s latest line of shoes — Fizzy Goblet — come with a paintbrush and colours. Bengaluru-based illustrator Alicia Souza has designed a secret garden print with flowers, leaves and butterflies. Buy a pair for a DIY afternoon before you step out.
*ENTRY: *Rs 1,650
www.fizzygoblet.com
*Groove with DJ Styluxtakut*
April 27: For those wanting to experience high-energy club music, here’s some good news. Singapore-based DJ Styluxtakut, who is known for his innovative techniques and exhilarating club sets, will be performing in the city. Styluxtakut has performed alongside some of the most notable DJs internationally, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Cash Money, Lil Jon, Samantha Ronson and DJ Cassidy. With live performances in countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Vietnam, he will bring the best of Asia to his Indian fans.
*WHERE: *Trilogy, Sea Princess, Juhu Tara Road, Airport Area, Juhu
*WHEN:* 10.30 PM
*ENTRY: *Rs 500
*CALL: *26469689
*Bake your own croissant*
10.30 AM – 2.30 PM: Spend a few hours learning how to make, roll out, shape and bake your own croissant creations at Wisk by Cakesmiths. Not only will you walk away with an understanding of fermentation and lamination (the science behind creating those magnificent, flaky layers), you’ll be whipping up a batch to the applause of friends and family in no time. For the class, you will need to wear closed shoes, cotton clothes, and tie your hair in a neat bun. You will also need to carry a notepad.
*25 MONDAY*
*WHERE: *Wisk by Cakesmiths, 2nd Floor, Jatia Chambers, 60 Dr VB Gandhi Marg, Kalaghoda,* *
*ENTRY: *Rs 3,435
*REGISTER: *www.wisk.cakesmiths.in
*Bend it like yogis*
5 PM – 6.30 PM: With stress getting the better of us, the need of the hour is to be both, physically and mentally agile. A Hatha Yoga workshop, organised by Beat N Bounce, promises to help you experience better control over your mind and body. Hatha Yoga is an ancient science, which involves yogic kriyas, asanas and the pranayam. It has also proven to be effective in the treatment of PCOD and issues related to weight. The free-trial workshop will introduce you to the wellness form and its benefits.
*26 Tuesday*
*WHERE:* Beat N Bounce studio, 901, 9th floor, Crescent Royale, Off Link Road, Andheri (West)
*CALL:* 9930403026
*FREE*
*Drink up with Bollywood*
7 PM onwards: Looking at taking a break from the mid-week rut? Asado has set the mood with Street Bollywood Wednesday. Walk into Asado and enjoy some of its signature cocktails, while dancing to foot-tapping Bollywood songs. There will be music to cater to all your moods, including the latest hit dance numbers and the popular romantic songs. Put
on your dancing shoes, flex your muscles and don’t be shy to unleash your hidden dancer.
*27 wednesday*
*WHERE: *Asado, Manorama Chambers, SV Road, Bandra (West)
*CALL: *65686666
*Enjoy a good laugh*
8.30 PM – 10 PM: In a world of compulsive political correctness, we are becoming uptight for our own good. A comedy show, unapologetically titled Dirty at 8.30, might just help you loosen-up. Leave your sanskaar at home and experience the good old-fashioned slug-fest with Andy Reghu, Reza Noorani and Hijas Moosa. And if you come in early, you can also enjoy Happy Hours on the house brews and select liquor till 8 pm.
*28 Thursday*
*WHERE: *The Barking Deer, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
*ENTRY:* Rs 200
*CALL: *9820384567
*Feel the retro vibe*
10 PM onwards: The Other People is back, and ready to make you groove with yet another rock show. The six-member band has opened for the India tours of numerous international artists. You can catch them live at the Retro Night with The Other People as they perform to some of your most favourite retro tunes. With over four hours of great music, this one’s going to be hard to miss.
*29 Friday*
*WHERE: *Blue Frog, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
*ENTRY: *Rs 600, girls enter free* *
*CALL:* 61586158
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/apr/24Prateik-Babbar-s.jpg
Prateik Babbar sits across the room from us at his public relations firm’s Andheri office, appearing like a debutant gingerly discussing his first film. He smiles shyly when our photographer calls out to him, talks softly, making an effort to leave a good impression. After all, he is trying to make a comeback.
*Pic/Satej Shinde*
For the last three years, Babbar, 29, hasn’t acted. Issaq, his last film released in 2013, a story of love in the time of sand mafia ravaged Benaras. It didn’t ring in well. Just like Ek Tha Deewana the year before, with actor and former girlfriend Amy Jackson. Professional setbacks have been only one of his headaches. Drug and alcohol addiction is the real bugbear.
*Also read: Prateik plans to start afresh in Bollywood*
He has been in and out of rehab multiple times. But now that he is celebrating a couple of months of being sober, the only way he sees himself getting back into the limelight is to tell the truth and hope for the best.
"For the last five years, only the substance mattered. Nobody else — family, friends — even came close. It was about running away from every kind of emotion. I was disgustingly addicted," he says straight-faced.*Prateik Babbar in Dhobi Ghat and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na*
Babbar’s struggle was possibly scripted before his time. The only child to parallel cinema’s stars, Smita Patil and Raj Babbar, he was brought up by his maternal grandmother, Vidyatai Patil, and aunt, Manya Patil, after Smita passed away a month after his birth. Babbar was married to veteran theatre personality Nadira Zaheer Babbar with whom he had two children, when he met Smita. As a man in love with and married to two women, he led a complicated life. Its crushing burden on Smita, she once described as ‘private hell’. After her death in December 1986, Babbar returned to living with Nadira, who had accepted Smita in a strange ménage a troi arrangement, and their kids.
"My parents’ relationship always was a source of confusion. Why were things like this? If mom had just lived longer and dad would have spent more time with me…" he trails off before gripping the thought, "things could have been, actually, would have been, different."
Prateik grew up with grandparents grounded in nationalist ideology. Shivajirao Patil, one of Maharashtra's tallest leaders of the co-operative movement was member of the Rajya Sabha and twice elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Vidya, too, was involved with the socialist movement. Manya, their youngest daughter, who has a degree in fashion from New York, has been Prateik’s custodian in a sense, both personally and while managing his career.
The Patils, says Prateik, were clear that Babbar was responsible for Smita’s pain. It didn’t help that he was hardly around, busy with acting and political commitments. "I was brought up believing he was the bad guy. They told me what he had done, and how my mother was lonely. So, I distanced myself from him."
Drugs seemed a convenient balm. His first brush with substance abuse was at 14. It was marijuana with friends. As he grew braver, he moved to miracle mood changers. Ganja remained a constant.
The other constant was a girlfriend. "It was about rebelling. With drugs, I also needed relationships. I thought if I didn’t have anyone with me, I’d fall apart."
Perhaps to prove that relationships and marriage can work, he wanted to wed every woman he dated, including Jackson. "At 14, I engraved a girl’s name on my hand with a lit cigarette. I am very careful about falling in love now," he says.
A stint at a rehab centre in Mumbai was followed by relentless counselling. Most psychotherapy experts arrived at one conclusion — he was trying to fill a void. "I never believed that, though. But it was true. It makes me glad then that in the last three years, I have stayed away from a relationship. The break gave me the chance to face my problems alone, even if I was facing them when high."
Babbar wanted to launch him in a film, but when he turned 25. Instead, Prateik joined Prahlad Kakkar’s production firm as assistant director. Kakkar, a friend of the family, even had firm named by Smita. "Dad kept saying, wait, but I didn’t want any of it. I was pushing everyone away."
The going solo obsession made him symbolically severe ties with his father. In 2011, he announced that he was now simply, Prateik. He said in an interview during promoting Dum Maaro Dum in 2011 that he regarded actor Abhishek Bachchan as his elder brother, prompting half-brother Aryan Babbar to blame him for "doing all kinds of things for publicity". "I didn’t want to have anything to do with them. After advertising, I auditioned for Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na."
The 2008 romantic comedy produced by Aamir Khan to launch his nephew Imran, had critics single out Prateik as ‘the guy to watch out for’. Unusually natural on screen for a debutant, he won a Filmfare for the role in 2008.
For a while, things seemed to be going well. But during Ek Tha Deewana, love did him in. His co-star, British model-turned actress Amy Jackson, who’d once told a magazine, most girls would be "happy dating Prateik", grew tired of his obsessive ways and packed up. When she returned on work from England next, the intricate tattoo on her forearm, Mera Pyaar, Mera Prateik, was gone.
"I could be called a romantic, but it’s not a good love when you ignore yourself and make it all about the other person. I forgot I existed. I was jealous, possessive… crazy. Think of a bad adjective, and I have been all that in five years. I don’t blame her for leaving," he says.
And then, Vidyatai Patil passed away last year. The woman who turned mother again in her 60s to take care of a month-old baby, the grandmother who Prateik petitioned from Ajmer’s prestigious Mayo College so that he could return, pleading, I can’t live without you, was gone.
Prateik says he lost track of reality, right and wrong. Without her watchful support, he took to what made him feel better, drugs and alcohol. "I was back to relying on it. It was my number one priority."
He knew he had hit rock bottom again. He decided, he’d return to rehab. "In an attempt to tell the world to f*** off! I was hurting myself the most." He also had his anger to deal with. But isolated, he turned to his only parent.
"I looked at my father and realised, this is the only parent I have — my biological father. And I suddenly didn’t want to care abou Reported by Mid-Day 23 hours ago.